Public Relations Manager

The Presidio Trust is seeking a Public Relations Manager to join its Marketing and Communications Team. The Presidio Trust is a unique federal agency that stewards and shares the Presidio, one of the most visited national park sites in America and a place where people live and businesses thrive. The Trust manages the Presidio through a triple bottom line focus: being visited and loved by all, being a model of environmental stewardship, and demonstrating excellence in all our operations.

Reporting to the Associate Director of Communications, the Public Relations Manager develops and executes strategic public relations initiatives that advance the Presidio Trust's mission, Forever Park strategy, and organizational priorities. Serving as the Trust's primary press contact, this position leads media relations and select external engagement efforts that increase awareness of the Presidio national park site and the Presidio Trust among key audiences.

Within the framework of the department’s communication strategy, the position develops, recommends, and implements the Trust's public relations strategy and annual plans to support park, business, and audience development objectives. It identifies and advances high-impact opportunities to elevate park and agency visibility through media engagement, speaking opportunities, conferences, professional associations, awards programs, and other external communications activities. The Public Relations Manager also provides strategic communications support during issues and crisis situations and evaluates the effectiveness of public relations initiatives through performance measurement, reporting, and continuous improvement.

This is a full-time position with benefits and a starting pay range of $115,606 to $131,792, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The starting base salary is dependent on the experience and qualifications of the candidate. Applications received by July 24, 2026, will receive first consideration.

Responsibilities

Strategic Public Relations

• Develop, recommend, and implement the Trust's public relations strategy and tactics in alignment with the Marketing and Communications Integrated Plan and in support of the Presidio Trust Forever Park strategy.
• Identify proactive opportunities that increase awareness of the Presidio and the Presidio Trust's mission, programs, and accomplishments.
• Provide strategic communication recommendations to department leadership and program managers on public relations opportunities and messaging approaches.
• Manage the public relations budget and oversee vendor contracts and relationships.
• Coordinate public relations initiatives across departments to ensure alignment with organizational priorities and communication plans.

Media Relations

• Serve as the Trust's primary press contact.
• Cultivate and maintain productive working relationships with local, regional, national, and international media.
• Develop, update, and distribute press releases, media advisories, background materials, fact sheets, and other media resources.
• Pitch stories, coordinate interviews, manage media events, and respond to media inquiries.
• Prepare executives and subject matter experts for media interviews by providing media training and developing talking points and briefing materials.
• Coordinate media communications with managed service partners, the National Park Service, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and other key partners to ensure consistent messaging for shared announcements and media opportunities.
• Plan and lead media familiarization (FAM) tours that showcase the Presidio's destinations, programs, and strategic initiatives, strengthening relationships with journalists and generating earned media coverage.
• Develop and execute travel media relations strategies by building and maintaining relationships with destination marketing organizations, travel journalists, and other industry partners to increase awareness of the Presidio and secure earned media coverage.
• Maintain the Trust's online press room, media contact database, media distribution lists, and media monitoring systems.

External Representation

• Implement the Trust's External Representation Strategy and recommend updates based on organizational priorities and program performance.
• Identify, evaluate, and coordinate opportunities for executive leadership and subject matter experts to participate in conferences, speaking engagements, professional associations, awards programs, and other strategic external engagements.
• Manage an annual plan and calendar of external representation opportunities aligned with organizational priorities.
• Coordinate presentation development, executive briefing materials, speeches, award submissions, and related communications materials supporting external engagements.
• Track and evaluate the effectiveness of external representation activities using established performance measures.
• Manage the external representation budget as part of the public relations budget.

Issues Management

• Develop communication materials and key messages for emerging issues and time-sensitive situations consistent with the agency’s Crisis Communications Plan.
• Prepare holding statements, media responses, FAQs, and executive communications materials.
• Coordinate media communications during incidents and crisis situations.
• Maintain crisis communications resources and support organizational preparedness activities.

Measurement and Reporting

• Monitor and analyze media coverage, public relations performance, and communication trends.
• Develop and report on key performance indicators that measure the effectiveness of public relations initiatives.
• Recommend and implement improvements to public relations processes, communication tools, and measurement practices.

Other Duties

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in public relations, communications, journalism, marketing, or a related field.
• Five years of progressively responsible experience in public relations, media relations, or strategic communications.
• Demonstrated success developing and implementing public relations strategies for a complex or high-profile organization.
• Experience serving as a primary media contact and cultivating relationships with members of the media.
• Experience advising senior executives on communications approaches and preparing leaders for public appearances and media engagements.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects independently while exercising sound judgment and meeting competing deadlines.
• Knowledge of media monitoring, performance measurement, and public relations best practices.
• Experience coordinating communications activities with multiple internal and external stakeholders.

Desired Qualifications

• A passion for the mission and values of the Presidio Trust.

Background Check
This position is subject to an employment background check which shall consist of a review of applicable county, state and Federal criminal and civil records, state bankruptcy indexes, driver’s license, education, and employment history. An individual’s granting of a background check and resulting report is voluntary. However, employment is contingent upon the successful completion of an employment background check. The Presidio Trust may refuse to hire an individual, may rescind an offer of employment to an individual, or may review and terminate the employment of a current employee not successfully completing the background check.

The Presidio Trust is an equal opportunity employer, offering a competitive benefits package. To learn more, visit www.presidio.gov/about/presidio-trust/careers.